Being a foodie isn't cool anymore and maybe thats for the best. Calling someone a foodie is akin to swearing at them these days, depending on the circles you move in. As the food fever in America begins to cool, it's easy to wonder what the next new trend will be and if farm-to-table will fade into the haze of history. I've been referred to as a foodie before and it's always felt a bit wrong. I was fervent about good food for sure, but I never thought of myself that way. Looking back, I realize that I rode that wave of obsession for a few years along with many others and that when I finally swam back to shore to put my feet on the ground I was armed with a clearer head and a more determined outlook. Food culture isn't some fad to preach about or hold over anyone's head, it's something to be lived in every aspect of your life. It's time to stop separating foodies from non-foodies and work together to keep America's food industry on the right track.

By Kayci Weaver

Following the industrialization of food in the US there was a black hole that began to suck the country dry of it’s food culture. Since suddenly everything could be easily and inexpensively bought and it no longer seemed necessary to spend the time learning skills like canning, pickling or even how to cook. Food could be bought in a box and stored indefinitely in a pantry or freezer, so why waste time on these outdated and seemingly frivolous skills. People accepted that the food coming from the factories must be safe and maybe even good for them since scientists were hard at work creating them. Farmers were seduced as well and chose new science over time proven techniques. Suddenly, it seemed the entire country was able to think less about sustenance and more about life.

Fast forwards several decades and you will find yourself immersed in the buzz surrounding books such as Fast Food Nation and Supersize Me. You might be reading reports on poisoned groundwater, animal cruelty in industrial agriculture and the first stirrings of climate change talk. You would also find a nation that is struggling to fit into a single plane seat comfortably. Illness and a general feeling a malaise infected much of the population who spent time during dinner comparing prescriptions. Suddenly people began to understand that they were unwell and maybe it was their eating that was partially to blame.

This began a flurry that would one day cause an avalanche within society. Consumers began to realize that big business for food might not be the best model and that spending a bit more time on understanding food might be in everyone's best interest. After decades of eating mindlessly the era of mindful living was positioned to take over the media. Organic, farm to table and sustainable were used in daily conversations and it seemed like the newest trend was going to be great.

Except that it wasn't. Eating well became the latest lifestyle product sold by the same people who sold you the processed foods. And like every other lifestyle product it became a reason to feel superior because you are living a better at life than your neighbor. The idea that food could make you better, healthier and more desirable gained traction and suddenly being into food was cool. At the end of the day every single human needs to eat to survive and eat well to live well. Food culture has to be inclusive and the foodie culture has not always about inclusion.

By so passionately defending food, foodies everywhere have segregated themselves from others.

The next couple of years became food saturated, The Food Network exploded onto the scenes with shows that were on almost every television set. Celebrity chefs and hipsters were hawking the farm-to-table mentality while seeming to look down their noses to anyone who still shopped at Safeway. It's understandable why foodies can seem a bit insufferable at times. I know, because I used to be one, rambling on about organics, juicing and whatever my newest bone broth recipe was or what I had made for dinner the night before. I was eager to preach to everyone and anyone who would listen.

If you've ever been in love, then you'll understand. The way you just can't stop thinking about that special someone, talking about them until your friends eyes roll up into their heads. Well, that's what getting into a relationship with food was like for many. The tunnel vision of a life filled with new tastes, interesting flavors and literal art on a plate seduces a person completely, wiping out all coherent thought and transforming you into the latest crusader in the food revolution. But, like all love stories, the passion fades and settles into a warm glow. Those feverish nights spent fantasizing about your latest reservation or farmers markets find will pass and you'll find yourself in a much healthier relationship with great food.

Taking time away from home has allowed me some perspective into my own relationship with food, eating and what is important to take home from the foodie culture. I've managed to disengage from the cult and understand that fanaticism is never a good way to win anyone over. By so passionately defending food, foodies everywhere have segregated themselves from others.

No matter what your beliefs, it's clear that foodie culture has inspired a lot of people to do great things.

The work that has begun and the culture that has bloomed in the past few years is gorgeous. There has been so much creativity, better products are being made and even farming has become cool again. But this is just a first step. This food culture so many take for granted hasn't reached the majority of Americans and it's going to take some time to filter into all of America's cities. That's just how movements work, they take time. And our survival requires that food is more than just a trend.

No matter what your beliefs, it's clear that foodie culture has inspired a lot of people to do great things. People have begun to care about the nutrition that goes into their bodies and are eager to share what they've learned with others. Plus, it's a delightfully hedonistic way to live, what other hobbies encourage you to eat incredible cheese and drink champagne amongst other delicacies.

It's important to remember that at its heart caring about how food has been raised, and produced is ultimately about how we care for the earth and ourselves. Being proud of food culture means being proud of the labor that goes into feeding our great nation, and of all of the men and women behind the scenes who want nothing more than to share that next perfect bite with you. So next time you feel like rambling about food or posting yet another picture of your homemade apple pie, do it out of love and not just a passion that will fade. A story for the ages that we can hopefully teach to our children to remind them that love comes in all forms yet benefits everyone who feels it's touch.